BITS-Pilani Hyd researchers develop portable sensor to detect triglyceride levels in minutes

Researchers at MEMS, Microfluidics and Nanoelectronics (MMNE) Lab, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus, have announced the development of an innovative electrochemical biosensor for the rapid and cheaper detection of triglycerides (TGs), a crucial marker for heart disease risk assessment, on Monday.

The device aims to transform point-of-care diagnostics by providing faster and more accessible TG level testing, which is linked to increased risks of heart attack, stroke, and atherosclerosis, said stated principal investigator R.N. Ponnalagu.

It also offers promising potential for on-site TG monitoring, significantly enhancing heart disease management and preventive care worldwide, he said. The biosensor utilises screen-printed carbon electrodes made from commercially available overhead projector sheets.

It incorporates gold-cerium oxide nanoparticles to enhance sensitivity and speed up enzymatic reactions. Lipase, a digestive enzyme that breaks down fats in food for absorption in the intestines, is immobilised on the electrodes to speed up reactions with TG, producing an electrical current that is proportional to the concentration of TGs.

A standard test electrode is typically priced at approximately ₹10, providing an accessible option for effective health monitoring compared to commercially available one which cost around ₹300 to ₹500, Dr. Ponnalagu said. The device is suitable for real-time monitoring without sample pre-treatment and a portable read-out device, called ‘potentiostat’, adds to its practicality in various healthcare settings, according to research scholar Parvathy Nair.

“This platform could greatly assist in the rapid detection of TriGlyceride levels, and we are actively expanding its capabilities for multiplexed biomarker detection,” informed co-principal investigator Sanket Goel. “Our biosensor features advanced materials in a portable design, making it a game-changer for real-time TriGlyceride monitoring in point-of-care settings,” he said.

Prof. Goel said the research team is working to developing a turnkey prototype and planning to commercialise it through their start-up, Pyrome Innovation. The work is expected to be presented at the 2025 IEEE Applied Sensing Conference, scheduled to be held in Hyderabad in January 2025. The work was supported by Semiconductor Research Corporation, USA.

The work was also published in the peer-reviewed journal IEEE Sensors Letters, in its December 2024 issue.